Page 58 of The Alpha's Bullied Mate

Hayden turned. Monroe stood, slick with blood, at the edge of the challenge grounds.

“I have not seen the likes of your strength since your father,” Monroe called. Everyone fell silent, waiting. “It seems a waste to kill you. We have fought long enough, Hayden. I yield.”

Surprise rippled through Hayden. Yield? What—why? What new trick was this?

“Yield?” Spencer yelped. “You’re… yielding?”

“I am indeed,” Monroe said. He knelt in the dirt. “And I swear allegiance to the new Alpha of the Bluebell Valley pack. Alpha Hayden.”

What.

The.

Fuck?

Hayden opened his mouth and closed it again. Was this really happening? A bugle sounded through the air before he could fully comprehend what Monroe was doing. Hayden’s heart raced—he knew that sound. A beast-demon leaped onto the top of a nearby building. Dozens more streamed through the buildings, charging for the pack.

Mica.

“Get Mica out of here,” Hayden roared over his shoulder.

He spared a glance to see Finn, Elin, and Tess all dragging Mica toward the car. She yelled, kicking at them, as her pail of salt scattered on the ground. Hayden took his wolf form, rushing to meet the beasts.

“Archdemon,” Mica screamed, her voice barely audible above the sounds of thunderous battle.

With a howl, Hayden led his pack into the fray. He tore into the first beast, nearly getting gored in the process. To his surprise, one of the wolves he knew was possessed rushed to latch onto the rump of the beast. Hayden jumped onto its back and snapped down on its neck.

All around him, the wolves were fighting the beast-demons… even those possessed. What the fuck was happening here? His heart raced as he tried to piece it together. Why would the demons turn on each other like this?

The wind whistled, and he turned in time to see a beast nearly on him. Its horns glowed bright red—but then Monroe was there. He rammed the beast, shoving it off course. Hayden’s eyes widened.

She told you, boy, Monroe’s voice mocked.She told you exactly what is going on here. Didn’t you hear her? Or are you not going to listen to your precious Mica? She will be my mate, you know. Although I can’t say, I’m looking forward to it. Why you mortals enjoy fucking so much, I’ll never understand.

Hayden twisted, his eyes seeking out Mica. She was back in the car. Tess and Elin were both shouting at her, trying to wrestle something from her grasp. The key?

Finn had taken wolf form. He was surrounded by several of the beast-demons, all of them trying to get to the car. Hayden wheeled around, trying to get to them. A beast jumped in his path, pawing the ground. It threw its head this way and that as he drove him back. Hayden stumbled. Blayke and Maverick both jumped to his defense.

He threw back his head, howling.Protect the Luna!

Several wolves raced to join Finn. Four of them took down one of the beasts while another leaped over the car to chase off a demon from the other side. Hayden tried to get to them, but every time he made progress, more beasts poured into the space between them. His fight with Monroe left him shaking, weaker than he should have been.

Archdemon. That’s what Mica had said.

Finn tore into a beast-demon. One of the wolves protecting his flank glanced over toward Monroe. Then, he turned, fleeing—leaving his flank open.

Another beast-demon tore through the ranks. Hayden howled a warning, but it was too late. The beast caught Finn in the side, flipping him up through the air. Another reared back on its hind legs and crashed down on Finn’s body as he hit the ground.

No!

Hayden put on a new burst of speed. He leaped into the path of a charging beast-demon, hardly noticing the danger he put himself in. It veered off course, but he didn’t let himself wonder why. He dashed through the battle and pounced on the back of the demon, savaging Finn. It twisted, trying to shake him off as he chomped at it.

But even as he tore through the thick hide of the beast-demon, another sensation started to rise up his spine. A cold, tingling feeling like a shadow creeping over him. He killed the demon and moved to the next one as it charged the car. He grabbed it by the horns, but it flung him off, and he drove one of those twisted horns through the car's hood.

Finn lay unmoving on the ground while Mica stared through the car window, her eyes wide and horrified. Tess seemed to have the key now. The engine made a sick little whine.

A shiver ran across Hayden’s back. Despite the heat beating down on him, the cold feeling enveloped him. His head spun, and he lost his footing. He started to lose his footing when it was as though a giant hand reached out and straightened him. He was turned, not in control of his own body.

She did warn you,that voice whispered again. But it no longer sounded like Monroe’s voice. Instead, it seemed to rage from the very center of the earth. It sounded like a thunderclap, a roaring fire, the chiming of bells. It scoured Hayden’s mind. He wouldn’t have been surprised if blood started to drip from his ears.

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